The Alliance and its colonies have reached an uneasy peace, ending the destructive rebellion that had raged on a dozen worlds. No one expects the deal to last, and both sides are preparing for the next showdown.

But from another challenge is coming, a horror almost unimaginable, one that will endanger the very survival of mankind and force not just the Alliance and its colonies, but all of the Superpowers, to join forces or face annihilation.

The Alliance discovered dusty ruins on Epsilon Eridani IV, built by an ancient race, eons dead. But their guardians remain, and the disturbance of the long silent caves triggered an automated alert, one which has been heard. And answered.

Erik Cain and his Marines grimly take to the field once again, for what may be their final battle, against the robotic legions of the genocidal First Imperium. But facing a ruthless and technologically superior enemy may be easier than learning to fight alongside old enemies.

The First Imperium is book four of Jay Allan’s bestselling Crimson Worlds series (over 800,000 sold).

The Crimson Worlds Series (Reading Order)

Book 1: MarinesBook 2: The Cost of VictoryBook 3: A Little RebellionBook 4: The First ImperiumBook 5: The Line Must HoldBook 6: To Hell’s HeartBook 7: The Shadow LegionsBook 8: Even Legends DieBook 9: The Fall

Standalone, Can be Read at Any Point:Red Team Alpha (A Crimson Worlds Adventure)

"Enlightenment Now: The Case for Reason, Science, Humanism, and Progress"
Is the world really falling apart? Is the ideal of progress obsolete? Cognitive scientist and public intellectual Steven Pinker urges us to step back from the gory headlines and prophecies of doom, and instead, follow the data: In seventy-five jaw-dropping graphs, Pinker shows that life, health, prosperity, safety, peace, knowledge, and happiness are on the rise. Learn more

Enter your mobile number or email address below and we'll send you a link to download the free Kindle App. Then you can start reading Kindle books on your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required.

Top customer reviews

There was a problem filtering reviews right now. Please try again later.

Having read and enjoyed the first three Crimson Worlds books (Marines, Cost of Victory and A Little Rebellion), I was majorly disappointed by Jay Allan's latest addition. We frequently see authors cling onto a good series and drag it down by trying to milk additional books out of it. That is the case here. Jay Allan does attempt to continue some threads left over from the first three books, but many details are left out, rushed and not given any thought at all.

The storytelling jumps months and weeks at a time. There is very little detail or further character development here. Things just happen - even major plot events are treated with just a passing mention. It feels as if the author was impatient to get the book done with.

The combat is treated as trench warfare with missiles. Every single ground combat scene is described in the same way: marines in trenches with "heavy weapons" - SAW's and missile launchers shoot at the enemy, the enemy shoots back, marines die, they retreat to the next trench, rinse, repeat. Apparently these marines have no armor vehicles, artillery, recon drones (space marines are still sticking their heads out of trenches to look around). And as big a deal as the book makes about "learning to fight alongside old enemies", there's actually very very very little of that and again, every single detail of that was left out as well.

This book simply has no substance. An early previous review had used the phrase "that certainly doesn't mean that Jay Allan phoned it in". I beg to differ. He most certainly did "phone it in".

Bottom line, if you enjoyed the first three Crimson Worlds books and liked the characters, you're better off not reading the "First Imperium" storyline at all.

Jay Allen is a good Author who knows hold w to write stories that contain believable conversations. This story continues with a fantastic brain built by a long dead civilization to monitor their empire receiving a distress call and searches through it's options, finding most no longer work, and sending what it does find to answer the call. Eric Cain and the Marines are beaten back, planet by planet, by this powerful unknown force.

Having read some of the less flattering reviews of this series, I can not agree with of them. I find this series outstanding and intriguing. A definite FIVE-STAR. This book does not change my opinion at all. The characters and action are written with an understanding of what military science fiction is all about. Developing characters doesn't need to be all included in all aspects of the story. Some times just action is welcome. Although rehashing what has happened before is sometimes overwhelming. I'm looking forward to reading the next book.

My son had already read the first three books in this series. When book four arrived, he vanished with it. He has read it three times in two days. It must be awesome, because it talks about it non-stop in the car.

I enjoyed reading the story. I thought it was a good book. Eric Cain was shown with human weaknesses, but he still had the fortitude to do his duty. I think the first Imperium is a hell of a foe to try and defeat.

I have made Jay Alan one of favorite authors for a very good reason. And this book proves the point. Once again he takes men and women who are less than perfect, puts them in extremely difficult situations. They shot thwy are are human and preform to the true levels that humans are capable of.

My only gripe is that his villians are a little to too one sided, and a little to evil. But there have been people like that, Hitler and Stalin come to mind.

The bad guys are still working to give the good guys problem, and the good guys have to fight to keep the wolves from the doors. The plot moves well and the characters are well drawn.

I look for long stories that deliver. Jay Allan delivers another 5-star episode in the Crimson Worlds. He’s created characters, action and an adventure epic that ranks an equal with the greats. Man vs an insurmountable but extinct civilization bequeathed to a vast ancient machine mind vs a dastardly traitor to human race. This is genuine syfy entertainment for the epic seeking reader.